City Council candidate Pat Benson Jr. called for an audit of the Violence Reduction Initiative (VRI) in his newly released ‘9 Point Plan for District 9 Recovery’.
Mr. Benson said, “After more than three years, the VRI has failed to reach many of the goals set by those who introduced the plan. If elected, I will work with the new council to go through line by line and see what has worked and what has not worked.
“The number one priority of any government should be to keep its citizens safe.
It is also imperative that we be responsible stewards of the taxpayers money.”
His campaign said, "For two years, Pat Benson worked with neighbors and police to implement a block captain system in the Missionary Ridge Neighborhood Association. During that time, neighbors were brought closer together, several neighborhood-wide events were organized, and relations between the neighborhood and Chattanooga Police Department were at an all-time high."
Mr. Benson said, “I’m going to continue what I’ve been doing for the past few years - bringing neighbors together and working with the good men and women of the C.P.D. to combat the rise in violent crime.”
Pat Benson 9-Point Plan For District Recovery
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Crime – Audit the VRI Increase police force, further develop security camera system, and more community involvement
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Jobs – Partner with hospitals to provide healthcare job skills and employment to residents
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Education & Training – Vocational/Technical training and GED programs which coordinate with local businesses
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Housing – Partner with nonprofit organizations and realtors association to customize an affordable housing plan for East Chattanooga
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Infrastructure – Increase investment in road repairs, sidewalks, street lights. Additional traffic calming practices to slow down speeding
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Public Health – Keep YFD (Rec Centers) open 7 days a week. Additional wellness programs for seniors
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Empower Neighborhoods – Create councils of community and religious leaders in the district to promote dialogue
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Economic Development – Recruit grocery store to Foxwood Plaza
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Small Businesses – Provide micro-loans to spur entrepreneurialism. Additional assistance to small businesses that are locally owned and operated